My name is Jessica Lai and I am a cardiac RN. I am currently 36 weeks pregnant with my first child – a baby boy! Mommy Matters gave me one of their Portable Pregnancy Pillows to try out and asked me for my unvarnished review.
For most of my pregnancy, I have been fortunate to maintain my active lifestyle—trying to walk every day, prenatal yoga/pilates 2 days per week, and HIIT classes 2 times per week. I also continue to work 5 days a week as a nurse. My days can vary from sitting in front of my computer all day to standing all day assisting with treadmill stress tests.
My husband and I decided to celebrate my 38th birthday and babymoon in Europe - London, Amsterdam and Paris. I was a bit concerned because as I was approaching my 3rd trimester, I was not sure if my body would be able to keep up with our planned activities, especially the walking. I must say that it was worth it as we ate our way through each city!
We walked on average 9 miles each day with much needed breaks in between - this helped to burn off the croissants I devoured. I was fortunate to have the Mommy Matters Portable Pregnancy Pillow along for the ride. It definitely came in handy at the end of the day when lying down on the hotel bed. My favorite use for the pillow was lying down with the pillow in between my legs. I felt so much relief in my lower back and hips - my hips are always sore and tight. This truly helped me sleep better at night. The pillow also felt great while lying down on my side with it under my belly.
The pillow came in handy while on the trains to Amsterdam and Paris. It felt great on my mid and lower back, and by helping my posture it took pressure off my belly. I admit that it was not useful while on the airplane. I felt that the chairs were too stiff for the pillow and applied more pressure to my belly. It was also difficult to bring the pillow with me while walking around the cities and taking public transportation. My bag was not quite big enough to fit the pillow.
I do however find the pillow very useful while at work. It makes a huge difference during my day. Most of the day, I am sitting on a chair facing my computer or making phone calls. At times, I am unaware of my posture and the pillow helps to reinforce proper form when I place the pillow behind my lower back. I also have a tendency to lean on my left side when I make phone calls, so I can place the pillow on my left side which makes it much more comfortable.
Some helpful tips/tricks:
- I used my tote bag to carry the pillow when traveling to each city.
- However, I chose not to use it when on the metro because it meant carrying an extra bag.
- Placing the gel pack in the fridge was effective and therapeutic for my sore back. However, I do favor the hot pack when I’m at home and have access to a microwave.
